In marketing, we often hear phrases like, “Print is dying. Digital is just better!” In our experience, print isn’t dying…it’s evolving into a strategic art form. Printed advertising materials offer many advantages that digital marketing cannot fully replicate. Print is tactile; it’s personal. When done correctly, print offers a connection to your brand that digital just can’t match.
Printing Around the Overstimulation
Every day, we’re each bombarded with digital ad after digital ad on social media, in emails, and in the videos we watch. There’s a lot of noise, so much digital stimulation, in our day-to-day lives, and that quickly makes consumers start to tune out. A well-designed (that’s the key, well-designed!) brochure, rack card or flyer can slice through the noise as a tactical life preserver to consumers drowning in digital ads.
Print Builds Trust. Digital Needs Time and Luck.
How many times have you seen an ad online that just screams scam? Anyone with an email or social media account can launch a digital ad in minutes for very little time and money. Printed materials require more investment: you have to spend time designing, printing, and distributing them – and that investment builds a brand that can feel more reputable to consumers. In an age of untrustworthy online advertising (looking at you, AI slop), investing in printed materials can help people believe in your brand.
Example industries & print takeaways:
- Travel & Hospitality: give visitors a printed guide to help them plan their travel with their very own visual aid
- Education: summarize important information into a streamlined infographic as a takeaway and reminder for learners
- Healthcare: develop easy-to-read flyers to hand out at events or distribute through community partners
- Insurance: showcase your employees and make a great first impression on a simple rack card
- Retail: make beautiful, eye-catching labels that make your products stand out on a shelf
Print is an Immersive Experience
The weight and texture of paper, unique die-cuts, and varnishes to give a nice, detailed shine… These are extra touches that digital just can’t match. A brochure printed on heavyweight paper with a little texture or varnish says way more than just a PDF file attached to an email.
Unifying Print and Digital
The strongest brand campaigns know how to use both print and digital cohesively. That’s where we come in. Your print materials should align with your online presence to extend your brand’s reach to the masses.
Here are some ways to make your print and digital pieces work together:
- Print catalogues with QR codes to your online store
- Event flyers that encourage social media engagement
- Product packaging with online easter eggs
If you’re looking for a unified brand experience in your print and online materials, reach out to us for a free, no-obligation consultation.
